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Convert a VirtualBox .ova VM into a Vagrant box

Sometimes distribution providers (such as UCS) only give you VirtualBox .ova files to test their software. Here is how you can easily and non-interactively import a .ova file into a .box for use with Vagrant.

$ VBoxManage import ./UCS-Virtualbox-Demo-Image.ova --vsys 0 --eula accept                                                                                                                                   
0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80%...90%...100%
Interpreting /home/crohr/dev/ucs/./UCS-Virtualbox-Demo-Image.ova...                                                                                                                       
OK.                                                                                                                                                                                                        
Disks:  vmdisk1 53687091200     -1      http://www.vmware.com/interfaces/specifications/vmdk.html#streamOptimized       UCS-Demo-Image-virtualbox-disk1.vmdk    -1      -1                                 
...
0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80%...90%...100%
Successfully imported the appliance.                           

Then list your VMs to find the VM ID:

$ VBoxManage list vms
"UCS 4.1" {acef4c0a-35be-4640-a214-be135417f04d}

You can now package that VM as a Vagrant box:

$ vagrant package --base acef4c0a-35be-4640-a214-be135417f04d --output UCS.box                                                                                                                             
==> acef4c0a-35be-4640-a214-be135417f04d: Exporting VM...                                                                                                                                                
==> acef4c0a-35be-4640-a214-be135417f04d: Compressing package to: /home/crohr/dev/ucs/UCS.box                                                                                           

And add it to the list of your local Vagrant boxes:

$ vagrant box add UCS.box --name UCS

Finally, you can create a Vagrantfile to use this box:

Vagrant.configure("2") do |config|
  config.vm.box = "UCS"
  # ...
end

And vagrant up!